Yellow Card, the stablecoin infrastructure company, has secured regulatory approval to operate through a supervised Swiss entity, giving financial institutions and large businesses a regulated way to access its payment rails across Africa and other emerging markets.
What the jargon is saying: A bank in Switzerland that wants to move money to Nigeria, Kenya, or another emerging market can now work with Yellow Card through a regulated Swiss operation instead of dealing directly with multiple markets and regulators. The regulatory approval is like a stamp of credibility for Yellow Card.
Stablecoins are growing in Africa: Digital assets’ reputation in Africa has been shaped by regulatory uncertainty, but that picture is starting to change. Over the past year, regulators in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Ghana, and other countries across the continent have become more open to creating frameworks for digital assets.
At the same time, stablecoins are being used for more practical purposes than regular trading, including sending money across borders and managing company treasury operations. Yellow Card has followed that shift. In October 2025, the company told customers it was shutting down its retail trading business to focus on helping businesses use stablecoins for payments
Following the money: Lugano, where Yellow Card is opening its Swiss office, has been active in the blockchain and digital asset sectors. The city has partnered with stablecoin issuer Tether on its Plan ₿ initiative and experimented with blockchain-based bonds and other digital financial infrastructure projects. Setting up in Lugano puts Yellow Card closer to the investors and institutions that are interested in stablecoin-powered payments.